Pedestrian hit on Strip April 19 dies

Jace Radke

Monday, May 8, 2000 | 11:33 a.m.

After 18 days in a coma a Wisconsin man died at University Medical Center on Sunday, succumbing to injuries caused when he and three other pedestrians were hit by a car on the Strip.

Mike Wienkes, 36, of Mineral Point, Wis., died just before 4 a.m. Sunday, a nursing supervisor said.

The Las Vegas woman accused of driving into the four pedestrians while allegedly being under the influence of drugs could face additional charges in the wake of Wienkes' death.

Juanita Kim McDonald, a 24-year-old exotic dancer, remains in the Clark County Detention Center on $100,000 bail. She is charged with three counts of driving under the influence with substantial bodily harm.

Her case is expected to go to a grand jury on Tuesday.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker said that drug tests revealed that McDonald had marijuana, methamphetamine and the designer drug Ecstasy in her system at the time of the April 19 accident.

Metro Police said that McDonald's 1997 Pontiac Firebird ran onto the sidewalk and hit the pedestrians in front of the under-construction Aladdin hotel-casino.

The levels of marijuana and methamphetamine in McDonald's blood far exceeded the amounts necessary to charge her under a new law that states those with certain amounts of drugs in their system are legally presumed be driving under the influence, Booker said.